The aircraft manufacturing process typically involves joining together various component parts. A wide variety of joining techniques are used, such as riveting, welding, and the like. For example, two structural members of an aircraft may be joined by (1) aligning the structural members; (2) forming a hole through both aligned structural members; (3) inserting a rivet through the hole; and (4) squeezing the rivet such that the rivet is deformed/shaped, coupling the structural members.
The technique used to deform/shape a rivet depends on various factors, such as the location of the rivet and the overall size of the rivet. In many cases, a rivet squeeze tool may be used. An operator positions the rivet squeeze tool over the rivet prior to actuating the tool. Upon actuation, a pump powers a ram of the rivet squeeze tool to engage the rivet to shape the rivet against an anvil. However, commercially available pumps, capable of providing sufficient pressure for deforming/shaping rivets, are typically large and heavy, particularly when the rivets are large and/or formed from a hard durable material. Accordingly, the process of moving and properly positioning the equipment necessary for deforming/shaping rivets may be quite cumbersome and labor intensive.